“Sources close to Whyte” in economical with truth shocker!

Yesterday’s blog post revealed for the first time in any media outlet (mainstream or otherwise) that Rangers had prepared an appeal of the “wee tax case” and seems to have ruffled a few feathers in the process.

In this morning’s Daily Telegraph, Roddy Forsyth reports: “A source close to Craig Whyte, the Rangers owner, told The Daily Telegraph that an appeal had been lodged several months ago against the liability – incurred under the previous regime of Sir David Murray and not to be confused with the much larger potential debt to HMRC… … The source added emphatically that the existing appeal was not intended to be a defence against Uefa sanctions.”

First, Forsyth is confused or has been misled. This appeal absolutely and categorically was not filed “several months ago“. Assuming that Forsyth is not confused, his source is either a shameless liar whose opinions on any of these matters should be treated on a par with asking Joseph Goebbels how the defence of Berlin is going- or his source does not know what is going on.

Next, why did it require “a source close to Craig Whyte“? Why not an on-the-record statement from the club or one of its executives? Why have Rangers not made any reference to an appeal of the “wee tax case” assessment prior to my post yesterday?

The phrase “a source close to Craig Whyte” is reminiscent of all of those fabulous promises made in the run-up to the takeover. Googling this phrase is instructive. “A source close to Craig Whyte” has been responsible for the following gems being quoted in our mainstream media without critical analysis or qualification:

“For a start, the deal Craig Whyte is putting forward is worth £52.5m, more than double the amount apparently to be raised by this unnamed Rangers director. Further, the Craig Whyte investment in the club would begin on day one of a deal being completed.”

“…the businessman had decided to make available “significantly more” than the average sum of £5m-a-season to Ally McCoist when he succeeds current manager Walter Smith at the start of next term.”

“Ally knows he will have significant funds to spend on players”

With the track record of such “sources close to Whyte” one has to wonder why any member of the press would take them seriously? Roddy Forsyth is one of the better journalists among a very poor bunch. However, to repeat the words of someone who will undoubtedly be one of Whyte’s handsomely rewarded PR goons without getting objective proof is symptomatic of the malaise affecting Scottish football journalism. The lazily and cheaply acquired quote is favoured over truth. To repeat the words of someone who misleads others for a living without obtaining objective confirmation is just comically stupid or willfully negligent. I must assume that the subject of Rangers’ accumulating unpaid PAYE & national insurance money just did not come up in conversation?

I do not claim to know with any certainty the motivation behind the appeal. So I cannot swear that it is related to the mounting pressure for Rangers to make an official and unequivocal statement on the status of this liability to HMRC as of 31 March 2011. However, the timing of the appeal does look convenient. I must acknowledge that it is also very possible that it is simply driven by financial necessity i.e. it is an attempt to reverse the arrestment of the £2.3m which is currently frozen prior to it disappearing forever within the next couple of weeks. However, I can confidently state that the launching of this appeal is very recent indeed.

Of course, this can all be cleared up easily. Mr. Whyte can tell us when the appeal was submitted. He can produce the appeal documents and show the dates to members of the press. Even members of his own trusted cadre of tame hacks would suffice. The central facts of the case are not in dispute and have been a matter of public record since Rangers’ interim accounts were released on 1st April. There will not be many real confidentiality concerns. We know the amount and to what it is related. All we need to know is the date of the appeal. This could debunk both my post from yesterday and the theory (expounded by others) that the SFA improperly granted Rangers a UEFA license for the 2011/2012 season.

Go ahead Mr. Whyte. Prove me wrong. And Mr Forsyth, you could apply a bit more critical thinking in your work. If you are interested in the question of Rangers’ UEFA license, you can ask your contacts at Ibrox and at Hampden to show you the evidence. It would be a good bit of journalism and could lay this issue to rest once and for all.

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About rangerstaxcaseI have information on Rangers' tax case, and I will use this blog to provide the details of what Rangers FC have done, why it was illegal, and what the implications for what was (updated) one of the largest football clubs in Britain.

1,149 Responses to “Sources close to Whyte” in economical with truth shocker!

Witness for the prosecution by the way…I will not be going
through the front doors of Ibrox ever.
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Not even to see the poinding notice on the marble staircase?

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Not even to shit on the marble staircase!

I went to Ibrox as a guest of someone years ago and the bile, hatred, bigotry and sectarianism was so overwhelming I felt sick and left after 25 minutes…and it wasn’t even a Celtic game. I wouldn’t go back for anything.

Your comments are out of order (this isn´t a Celtic site/RTC) and reflect the level of poster you are compared to the likes of Paulie Walnuts, who has knowledge, common sense, decency and most probably a stronger constitution.

I generally come on here when I have quiet time waiting in airports or when I am in hotels in the evenings. In case you didn’t get it – I travel an awful lot and live in Corsica which is not well served by flights other than from mainland France so have to spend lots of time away from home.

I’ll say it again, I apologise if I have offended (and in case you don’t understand yet, my apology was not solely directed at you).

curious onlooker says:
08/12/2011 at 12:21 am
Corsica
It´s the site/RTC to whom you should direct your apology.
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Corsica did apologise if he caused offence. I think the rest of us can make up our own mind whether we are offended or not. I actually found the bit about shitting on the staircase funny, while the bit about the atmosphere at Ibrox very sad. I hope Corsica wasn’t in the boardroom at the time!

There has been worse on here but not much a wiseman would and should ignore it, leaving it in the gutter where it belongs with all of the other nonsensical baggage from both sides.There are sites that cater for that sort of nonsense, would hate to see it spoil this board.

For what it’s worth corsica, I think CO’s indignant, patronising posturing is way over the top. But then I remember the stress he must be enduring as a Rangers fan and try and make allowances.

If your past experience of Ibrox has left you with a feeling of reprehension then who is CO to dictate that you should feel otherwise and not say so in a public forum? Much worse has been aired through these pages. And rest assured, your posts are (to me at least) full of knowledge, common sense and decency IMHO.

Heard this on Clyde, can anyone confirm that Celtic broke the British record for penalties awarded in a season at Inverness last season, bringing the total to 17, a record previously held by Man City.
If in fact this is correct perhaps we can dispense with some of the more extreme views expressed, which veer us off topic.
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Can you explain what you mean please?

I thought a penalty was given when a player was fouled in the penalty area by a member of the opposing team.

Given that as being factual you have just proven that Celtic are the most abused team in the UK…Yes?

RANGERS will postpone their AGM until early next year, with chairman Craig Whyte now deep in talks to find a way out of the club’s tax woes.

SunSport can reveal Whyte has been in detailed negotiations with HMRC to sort out the problems he inherited at Ibrox.

While that process continues the club’s accounts have yet to be signed off, but the champions are awaiting a key letter from QC Andrew Thornhill on their tax case.

Last year he indicated he expected the ruling to go in Gers’ favour and the club have had no suggestion that has changed.
Whyte said: “We’d still hope to have our accounts signed off before the end of the year.

“It will not be logistically possible to have the AGM in what remains of 2011, though.

“We will have it in the first quarter of 2012 when we’ll have a better indication of how the tax case will play out.

“I’d like to face that AGM with more certainty and positive news on the way ahead for Rangers.

“I feel there is too much focusing on negatives from my past, but I put myself up there to be shot at. I can handle that. But I hope there will be a more positive atmosphere by the time of the AGM.”

Gers filed their unaudited accounts up until June 30 at the last minute eight days ago.

Under the Companies Act all public limited companies must hold their AGM within six months of the business’ year end. That means Hogmanay is the last possible date for an AGM.

Failure to do so would leave Gers open to fines, but to trigger that a shareholder would need to make a complaint to the registrar at Companies House, who’d then begin an investigation.

sorrynocando says:
08/12/2011 at 2:40 am
“Failure to do so would leave Gers open to fines, but to trigger that a shareholder would need to make a complaint to the registrar at Companies House, who’d then begin an investigation.”
Has corsica fired off a missive yet?
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An opportunity for minority shareholder(s) to have a pop at the MBB ? 🙄

paul says:
08/12/2011 at 1:49 am
…
“We will have it in the first quarter of 2012 when we’ll have a better indication of how the tax case will play out….”
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[Assuming the above is a correct MBB quote by the Sun.]

Plymouth Argyle are unlikely to be the last Football League club to suffer financial collapse. It has emerged in court that the HM Revenue & Customs has issued 25 petitions to wind up clubs in the past two years.

The revelation was made by Greg Mitchell QC, who is acting for HMRC as it challenges the Football League’s controversial insolvency policies. Some of the clubs involved – who were neither identified nor enumerated – have received multiple petitions.

“In the past 24 months there have been 25 winding-up petitions against football clubs in the Football League,” Mitchell said. “Some are repeat offenders, so it is not 25 clubs in trouble.”

Mitchell explained that when clubs fail there is a “substantial” loss to the exchequer.

“The debts principally owed to HMRC in football insolvency are PAYE and VAT,” he said. “In the case of Portsmouth it was approximately £7m in VAT. This relates to player transfers, because at least in relation to domestic transfers VAT is always charged. It is standard practice for VAT to be charged against player transfers in the UK.”

Mitchell cited the Crystal Palace insolvency last year. Victor Moses was sold to Wigan Athletic for £2m and the League exercised its insolvency policy to deduct almost £1m to pay Palace’s football creditors, including a Premier League club.

“Here we have property that is clearly the government’s – money from the transfer fees – and that was deducted and went to particular football clubs: Blackburn Rovers and Charlton [Athletic],” Mitchell said. “It should be up to the administrator to decide who the ransom creditors are and how to make distributions.”

Administrators have statutory powers to make payments to creditors as they see fit, in order to maintain the future resale value of a business.

“Undoubtedly it greatly clips the wings of any administrator,” Mr Justice Richards said.

Yes – it’s the Football League. Yes – it’s the Football Creditors Rule. But, running at around one winding-up petition a month would clearly indicate that HMRC are not so easily dissuaded from getting their hands on Her Majesty’s due taxes.

The Motherwell-born Snake-Oil Salesman might have Scottish Sports Hacks happy to swallow his Refried Moonbeam Elixir, but I suspect that Hector, will be less inclined.

Barcabhoy says:
08/12/2011 at 4:12 am
interested american says:
08/12/2011 at 2:48 am
My guess is if someone DOES complain, they’d be named and shamed and the loyal bears would try to make life as difficult as possible for that person.

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highly unlikely they would be named, although i’m sure thats what Craig Whyte would like people to believe

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I think his post read more like a threat rather than a comment. Wonder if he is a “loya bear”.

Jackson, King, Keevins and the rest of the laptop loyal started to smell a rat during the last transfer window yet all of them trotted out the mantra ‘let’s wait till the end of the transfer before we pass comment on Whytey and the off the scale promised warchest for Coisty.’

Er……..and since then nada, nothing, no retrospective judgement of Whyte’s first 6 months and his promises, just more print crap with hardly a mention of the biggest story in Scottish football history, the RFC tax cases. Some of the nonsense about Coisty and Whytey discussing transfer targets for this window and in the summer just crack me up! Unless of course they have a number of Sone Aluko’s lined up waiting to pay for the privelige……………………

Slightly left of centre here but follows on from
Notthehuddlemalcontent, 03/12/2011 at 8:11pm and
Timtim, 03/12/2011 at 4:36 pm.
This idea is bouncing around in my head so I have to get it down here for the sake of my sanity. There ARE a lot of ‘ifs’, ‘buts’ and ‘mibees’ but bear with me here.
There is a school of thought that says should RFC go belly up and finish in a lower division as a Newco then Celtic may cut their cloth (and playing staff) accordingly as there will be less of a ‘threat’ with no Rangers. I would turn that argument around.
IF it is fact that Celtic are held in better regard than RFC then we should re apply for the EPL. One club joining would be easier for EPL chairmen to swallow than 2 clubs, and there would not be RFC’s baggage to consider. The Sky TV deal would have to be re negotiated with no OF games. However, clubs such as Hearts, Dundee Utd, Aberdeen et al would have a more realistic chance of silverware without the OF and the likelihood is that attendances would increase as a direct result of more meaningful games and a realistic chance of a trophy. The increased matchday revenue may compensate for the decreased TV money. This, IMO, would be a shot in the arm for the Scottish game. It would also be better for Celtic.
The only downside is that RFC Newco will, almost certainly, rise to the top again within a few seasons. In truth, I don’t really care what happens to them. I only concern myself with Celtic.
THOUGHTS PLEASE.

Are HMRC holding back on action to recover the non payment of 2011/12 PAYE/NI, approx £3m, and the £2.3m balance on the ‘wee tax case’ as they don’t want the finger pointed at them for bringing RFC down?
Personally I can’t see this as a reason as they have more chance of recovering these sums from the assets of RFC than they will of recovering any of the £50m due if they win the big tax case.
With any other debt the Sheriff Officer’s would already be on the premises putting a value on the club’s saleable assets and enforcing the order to pay……

Come on HMRC get the finger out and do your job and get RFC to bring theit tax liabilities up to date….by return

McGregor could forego the costs of the hiring artics and remain where he is. I would have him AND his baggage in goal for Celtic. Mibbees Peter Lawell should test MBB’s mettle with an offer come January time? (Insert big winky thing as if I am kidding on but I’m not really)

Whulliebhoy says:
08/12/2011 at 12:09 pm
It’s worth an ask.
Can’t see the world being a worse place for Celtic and Rangers being in different leagues, different divisions is a temporary and questionable anti-mentalism device…